Doing my first bit of getting Crossfire grease and oil under my fingernails begs the question........”because there is no room for me to slide under the engine to see and remove the under engine panel and the oil drain plug”.

I have a neighbors floor jack and jack stands. Is there a better place for either one of theses than where they tell you to put the tire jack ? Is one side jacked up allow enough clearance to do this ?

The second question is about a comment I have seen a couple of times telling you to put one quart in and then check your dipstick before proceeding. I can’t for the life of me imagine why.

best
joe

 

I highly suggest using low profile car ramps and pulling the Crossfire onto the ramps to do your oil change
Put in only 8 quarts of Mobil 1 (0W-40) full synthetic Oil
and a Mann Fleece Oil Filter
Be sure to replace the O-Rings #1,2,3,5 no need to replace #4
Be sure to place the large O-Ring #5 in the groove shown highlighted in blue in the last photo

 

I, personally, won't jack the car up by any point other than the tire jack points. Others will know more than I about where else you can safety jack the car up.

However:
There is no reason to jack the car up to change the oil. My current Roadster (an SE) did not have the splash guard, but my Graphite did. I fixed this issue about the third time I changed the oil. DO THIS:

• Grab a small 1/4" rachet with the proper socket on it and lay next to the car and remove the rear screw from the under-engine splash guard. Go to the other side and repeat this.
• Go to the front of the car, lay down and remove the two front screws.
• Pull the splash guard out from under the car, use a sawzall to cut it into three parts.
• PLace all three parts in the trash.
• Slide a low-profile oil drain pan under the car, remove drain bolt, drain engine.
• Put drain plug back in.
• Grab the four screws that held the splash guard in place and put them in the trunk - they are the same size as other screws in the car and make nice spares.
• Pull the filter carrier out, replace filter and o-rings, pay attention to the diagram that came with the filter, position the BIG o-ring as shown in the diagram.
• Pour eight quarts of 5W40 full synthetic in the oil filter cavity.
• Put filter/carrier assembly back in and hand tighten.
• Start engine, if oil leaks from around the filter carrier, you didn't understand the diagram.

This can be explained via one of two explanations:
Some here drink a lot then post on the forum.
and.................
Some here drink a lot then READ what is on the forum.

 

Valk's advice is concise and knowledgeable.

He just uses "northern oil", I want none of that s%$t down here, it's 5W40 or 5W50 for me.

Notice that Valk and I both said 8 quarts, not 8 1/2.

 

I loved the sawzall part and laughed, yeah its not for a driven car. My car for testing and mods has lots of miles going up and down on the lift in my garage.

Jacking up the car on one side is ok if you dial 91 on your phone to save time for the first responders. If you dont have a ramp or other safe method to get under the car do as I did as a teen = drive two wheels up on the curb and use the gutter as your PIT. Safe and low cost. Jack stands are not to be trusted as far as they can fall on you. Woody.

 

 

The engine pan cover keeps the engine cleaner and reduces drag, so keep it.
Get an oil extraction pump to suck the oil out of the sump via the dipstick tube.
Get a minimum ten litre pump and you will find it much easier and cleaner.
After the first drain let the engine sit fir an hour at least and you’ll get more oil, do this on a warm but not hot engine.

 

The above is my preferred method when changing oil in my 2007 Coupe, which is about every 2 years based on my driving style & habits. And even then, probably have only 3000-4000 miles on the oil at the most. A secondary reason I use this method is it gives me the opportunity to look around & inspect front suspension, steering linkage, steering dampner, transmission bottom, etc. and in general, just looking for any signs of leakage anywhere. As an example, I know right now that the joint boots on the steering linkage have cracks and have become somewhat brittle. Consequently, these no longer ensure sealed lubricated joints for the linkage assembly. The steering linkage will need replacing in the near future. And since I consider changing out the steering dampner a routine PM task (it is cheaply made), just like changing the oil, while I'm under the car, I'll change this part.

I have used the siphon approach at times, and it eliminates having to access the engine oil pan from underneath the car.

I do not advocate removing the splash shield & discarding it if one changes the oil "like us old timers". It is there for a purpose and I re-install it every oil change when it is removed. (Note: I turned down the purchase of a sweet-looking XFire Roadster near me. The previous owner discarded the splash shield because he viewed it as a nuisance.)

My 2006 VW New Beetle Convertible has the same type of splash shield under it and I've raised hell with the local VW Dealer Service Dept because they never re-install all the screws when performing an oil change. And it has quite a few to attach it to both front & back, and both side shields behind the wheel wells. I can't tolerate a dealer's Service Dept that doesn't return my car with required repairs and/or service in EXACTLY the same physical condition & appearance that I left it with them! And that includes a "greasy" boot print on the driver's door valance! Most dealer Service Depts I use won't send me surveys anymore because they can't deliver on all aspects of the service. Works for me!!)

 

What Onehundred 80 said below. Have done this for three years now. PIECE OF CAKE
Bill T.

 

Thank you all for your good advice and tips on the different ways to skin this cat.

Out of fear of ending my life under a ton of German steel, I didn’t use the floor jack, or jack stand - and having no curbs, just curved cement gutters.......so accessing the modesty panels 2 rear screws was almost a bridge too far. I left it off and will take to my garage to reinstall when it’s inspected. It was in very good condition and I figure it serves a purpose so I’ll leave it at that. Draining the oil was easy as the plug is near the front bumper.

I used exactly 8qts of Mobil 1 (WalMart$60) and the Mann fleece filter (Amazon$9) and a new drain plug washer (Advanced Auto pkg of 4 for$4). Not counting the panel removal......it was the quickest and easiest oil change I ever did.

A half hour getting to know your new ride saved me enough to buy 5 cases of beer. Priceless !

 

The money saved could have been used to buy an oil extraction pump, the beer will be gone in a short time but the pump will still be there.
Without jacking the car up I have reached under the car, removed the engine cover, replaced the oil and then replaced the cover, no sweat. I use the oil pump these days though.
The cover keeps a lot of crap out of the engine bay and reduces drag.

 

After dropping dodge( and now fiat ) for good, i got a Nissan Armada and did the first oil change. THe filter was tiny and I went to walmart to get a filter that mates up the same but is about 2x as long, more filter area.

BUT BUT THE THING HAD A METAL SHIELD ON THE LOWER ENGINE AREA. 6 bolts and 15 pounds and on a lift the thing was a total B itch to pull and install. For this one I cut a nice round hole in the shield so that the filter could be accessed. Iam totally convinced that the design is to limit home oil changes and drive the owner to the dealer or at least some place else. No way to do that and hold it up without a lift and what a pain to access the bolts. one 4.5" hole ( Thats for those who make it cold down here 11.43 cm ) did the trick. Smoothing the edges took the most time as the plasma torch is a bit edgey. Yes I burned the whole while it was removed, Iam not a republican after all, been around cars for 60 years one way or another. Woody ( PS I used to be a republican but thats another story ).

 

Like Dave and I have said, get an Oil Extractor "Piece of Cake" The one I have cost me just under a $100.

 

The use of these pumps is quite varied, oil from the engine, oil from the power steering, oil from the master cylinder. You can even use it to bleed the brakes with the adapter supplied. Mine is a hand pump type but if you have compressed air available you can get one that you hook up to air line. Make sure you get one that can hold eight litres or more, mine takes ten I think.
Unscrew the filter and leave it in its hole to drain while the oil is extracted then refill the engine pouring the oil down the filter hole, replace the filter and O-rings and Bobs your uncle.
Then pour the oil into the oil containers you just emptied and take them to the recycle depot. Nice, clean and easy.

 

Since we're all talking oil change here. One thing I do is, after the oil slows down to a trickle(and still warm) I start the engine. Yes, start the engine; but just for 1 to 2 seconds and then shut it down. I then get a bit more trickle of the old dirty oil out. O.K, now I'm waiting for the "O.M.G., you shouldn't EVER start an engine without oil in it" post. That would be true for an engine that was brand new and never had oil in it before.